


No Payne No Gain

by itwasonlyakiss, shittheyknowmyname



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gyms, M/M, ficexchange
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-15
Updated: 2018-01-15
Packaged: 2019-03-05 04:09:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13379865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itwasonlyakiss/pseuds/itwasonlyakiss, https://archiveofourown.org/users/shittheyknowmyname/pseuds/shittheyknowmyname





	No Payne No Gain

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DoveZiam](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoveZiam/gifts).



Liam is taking his nightly stroll around the city. Liam prefers the city at night; it’s quiet, calming, and the people are way more chill than in the daytime. It gives him the chance to clear his head from the difficulties of life. He eyes all the shops with their brightly lit “open” signs, awaiting for customers to walk right in and become welcomed. Liam scuffs over to a particular shop. He opens the slightly ajared door to peer inside when he realizes he’s in Louis’s flat.  
“Hello darling,” Harry in a pink, frivolous apron comes around the corner from the kitchen. “Did you forget something?”  
“No, I just came back from my walk.”  
The door opens once more.  
“Honey, I’m home!” Louis says in the doorway, arms wide open. He makes his way to Harry and lands a soft peck on his cheek and arm rests comfortably upon his waist. He looks over to Liam and rubs his head, messing his hair in the process. “So son, aren’t you going to introduce mommy and daddy to your new girlfriend?”  
“New girlfriend?” Liam doesn’t have a girlfriend.  
A knock is heard from the same door. Liam walks over to it and opens it slowly. He is faced with Niall except with long blond hair and a full face of makeup.  
“Who’s your mama, big boy?”  
Liam bolts up from his slumber in a cold sweat. Why does he have a boner, though? He takes a deep breath as he runs a hand over his face. Liam takes a quick glance at his digital clock. His vision is blurry as he tries to make out the time; 6:06 a.m.  
“Fucking hell!”  
Liam throws his sheets across the bed and sprints for the bathroom. As he switches the light from off to on, he instantly covers his eyes from the blinding light. Once his eyes have adjusted, Liam takes a look at himself in the mirror and notices his hair is all over the place and a scruff of a bread is growing.  
One of his hands grazes the sink and as the other touches his cheek.  
I don’t have time to shave; I’ll be late, he thinks to himself.  
Liam grabs a white-collared work shirt from the floor and brings it towards his nose. The aroma still smells of his cologne, with a hint of sweat, but he can cover it up with more cologne before he leaves. He throws the shirt on and starts rushing towards the door. As Liam opens the door, he feels a chilling breeze on his lower half.  
“Dammit,” Liam sighs while looking down at his black briefs and bare legs.  
Shutting the door, he shuffles back into the bedroom where he finds his black slacks sticking out of his hamper.  
Off to a great start, Liam.  
Liam yanks his pants on proceeds to rushing out the door.  
**  
Liam pulls up in front of the cool gray building. He slams his car door and rushes towards the entrance to open. This has been his job for about a year now. He opens everyday at 6:30 a.m. except on weekends. He looks around the parking lot for any sign of Niall or Louis and frowns. They should be here by now. Liam will occasionally get one or two members who come in at opening, but this time, it was a ghost town. Confused, Liam taps his pen against the service desk, waiting for anyone to show up.  
He waits for what feels like forever, until the sound of the doors opening makes Liam jump from his seat. Whoever just walked in, god damn. A dark haired man in a suit strides over to Liam at the desk. His shirt’s got a few buttons undone, and he looks like he shaved the last time Liam did, he looks disheveled but like in a hot way, ya feel? Liam swears he has never seen this man come in before, and he practically works all day, everyday.  
“Hey,” the mysterious man says.  
“H-hey,” Liam clears his throat. “Welcome to Payne Fitness. Do you have your membership card?”  
“No. I needed to find a new gym. Do you guys have free trials?”  
“Yeah. Let me sign you up for it now,” Liam searches for a pen; lifting up papers, looking behind the keyboard, but he cannot seem to find one.  
“It’s in your hand,” the man says.  
“What?” Liam is confused.  
“The pen?” as he points to Liam’s hand and what do you know, there’s the pen he’s been holding since the mysterious man walked in.  
“Oh… Thanks.” Liam feels stupid. This morning is not a good one; waking up late, not shaving, wearing the same shirt that he’s been wearing for the past 3 days, then an attractive man walts into the gym first thing and now he can’t find a bloody pen?! He goes to grab the free trial sheets. “Okay, I’ll need you to fill out your name, phone number, and email; then sign here. You’re first week’s trial should be in action after I give you a card. So what brings you to this gym?”  
“I’ve been meaning to check out gyms in the area. You always stuck with the graveyard shift then?”  
Graveyard shift? Liam looks to the clock on the wall. 2:45 a.m.  
What the hell? How is it 2? My clock said 6. I was running late. How- no wonder why no one was here.  
“Something wrong?” A soft voice snaps Liam out of his internal crisis.  
“Nothing.” Liam reassures the customer with a charming smile. “Yeah ya know.. That’s just what works out with my schedule.. I guess.” Liam notices that the man’s eyes never left the paper.  
The mysterious man takes his time filling his name in. Quick, clean strokes as the pen glides across the paper. Liam stares at the man as he fills the form out. His eyes go over every feature from the way he styles his hair to the side, to the scruff growing on his jawline.  
“So.. What brings you to the gym at 3 am?” Intense brown eyes raise from the paper and straight to Liam’s eyes. Liam flinches and feels his face getting warm.  
The mysterious man smirks.  
“Guess we have the same schedule.” The man’s eyes flick down to Liam’s name tag.  
“Thank you, Liam. See you around.”  
Liam stares down at the form. Zayn Malik.  
**  
Liam makes a call. It rings, and rings, and rings until,  
“What the bloody hell do you want at 3 in the fucking morning Li?”  
“Louis! You would not believe what just happened this morning-” Liam cannot stop pacing.  
“It’s still in the middle of the bloody night. This better be important.” Louis is not a morning person and Liam knows this, but he just needed tell someone how crazy of a morning he’s had.  
“Huh? ‘Wassit?” A rough voice grumbles over the line.  
“Look what you did Liam, you woke the baby. It’s ok Harold, it’s just Liam.”  
“Yeah it’s just your boss. You have to come here, to the gym. I accidentally opened early.”  
“Um, yeah, how about no? How do you accidentally open this early in the morning? Just go back to sleep Liam.”  
“He can come sleep here if we wants.” Liam can faintly hear Harry’s voice in the back.  
“Why, thank you Hazza! I’ll be over in a sec.”  
“Are you fucking-”  
Liam hangs up and starts closing.  
**  
Liam knocks on the door of the flat yet again. A very grumpy and disheveled looking Louis opens the door with a similar looking Harry hanging off of him.  
“You guys looks like Joey and Chandler in that rooster episode.”  
“Just come inside, Li.”  
“Does that make me Rachel? I’ve come to steal Joey.”  
“I’m going to close the door on you if you don’t come inside. And we all know you’d be Ross.”  
Harry extends his arm to Liam. “Come, tell mommy and daddy what happened this morning.”  
“Don’t even fucking start.”  
**  
“ Why would he be looking for a gym so early in the morning? Maybe he works super late because he was still in a suit, but who wants to workout after their shift? And his eyes, uggh, they were so mysterious-”  
“Okay! We get it Li, you’re in love,” Louis grumbles, irritated about hearing about this strange man.  
Liam looks taken aback . “I- I’m not in love!”  
“Sure. Whatever you say, Li.”  
Liam gives Louis a deadly look, then goes for his water bottle.  
A certain blond walks into gym in tight yoga pants that shows everything from the curve of his ass to the bulge of his crotch. He places a hand ever so smoothly on his hip, eyes locked on Liam, then winks.  
“Who’s your mama?”  
Water sprays out of Liam’s mouth.  
Louis starts laughing hysterically and takes out his phone to take a photo.  
“Harry will get a kick outta this one.”  
Liam is still choking on his water. “What the actual fuck is happening?” he whispers to himself as he recalls his dream from the night before.  
“You okay, Li?” Niall jumps up on the front desk, kicking his feet happily.  
“Dude,” Louis places a hand on Niall’s shoulder. “What the fuck are you wearing?”  
“Niall, we’ve talked about this. You cannot show up to work in your stripper pants.”  
“I thought it would funny.” Niall shrugs.  
Liam shakes his head, “Alright, just for today! You’re lucky we’re pals.”  
“Thanks boss!” That winner smile gets Liam every time.  
**  
Liam is laying in his bed in his boxers. He likes the feeling of his cool linen sheets rubbing against his bare skin in his hot flat. He lays there wondering what he can do to see the mystery man, Zayn. He cannot get his raven hair, his intense eyes, or his daring smirk out of his damn mind. It started to interfere with his job at work today. Putting papers in the wrong folders, typing gibberish in important emails, and even not focusing on what the members say about who knows what when a handsome man is roaming in every corner of his head.  
“You always stuck with the graveyard shift then?”  
That’s it! He can open tomorrow morning the same time this morning, in hopes Zayn would come back.  
Liam looks over at the clock.  
12:05 a.m.  
Two hours of sleep? Can he- of course he can open early, he’s the boss for god’s sake! But should he? Liam sets his alarm at 2:00 a.m. while sighing “fuck it” under his breath.  
**  
Liam ferociously taps the pen on the front desk. He doesn’t know if he’s irritated or nervous.  
2:56 a.m.  
This was a stupid idea on his part. He thought maybe he’d come. Maybe he’d want to workout after work. Maybe, just maybe, he’d want to see Liam. Liam rises from his chair sluggishly. The front door opens and Liam’s heart jumps.  
There. There was the mystery man. In his same suit, same hairstyle, same mysterious eyes.  
“Hey.” His voice sounds as smooth as butter.  
“H-Hey, welcome to Payne Fitness. Or I mean, welcome back.” He chuckles nervously.  
All Zayn does is nod to that comment.  
“I’m here for the first day of my free trial.” Zayn says as he heaves the workout bag he brought in over his shoulders.  
“Yeah, of course.” Liam rises from his chair. “I’ll just need you to sign in here.”  
“Are those the locker rooms over there?” He to the corner corridors right behind the front desk.  
“Yup, sure are. First doors on the left.”  
Zayn nods again before heading towards the locker rooms. Liam slumps in his seat. Again, a complete and total mystery.  
The dark haired man walks out of the locker room. He’s in black basketball shorts and loose black tank. Liam’s eyes trace every inch of his body. He has tattoos scattered all over; Liam wants to know the story behind each one, even if there isn’t one.  
“So, is it always a ghost town?” Zayn says while looking around. Intense eyes beaming across the gym, then ending his gaze straight into Liam’s eyes. Liam swallows hard.  
“Uh, yeah. You know, the graveyard shift always is dead.”  
“Hmm.” What a quiet one he is. “Well, I’m going to get started.”  
“Alright. Have fun.” Liam smile and nods. He turns back to the front desk. Have fun? Stupid.  
Twenty-five minutes pass and Liam is bored out of his mind. He wants to talk to Zayn but he doesn’t want to disturb him or scare him off so that he’ll never see him again.  
It was awfully quiet in the gym. The only sounds you heard was the treadmill machine’s gears turning and Zayn’s steps stomping, continuously.  
The hell with it.  
“Hey!” Liam roars.  
Liam can slowly hear the treadmill coming to a halt and Zayn’s steps fading ever so faintly.  
“What’s up?” Zayn shouts back.  
“I was going to play music; so since you’re the only one here, do you have any preferences?”  
“Umm.. Anything is fine with me. Whatever you want to play man.”  
Well what the fuck is he supposed to play now. It’s cool, Liam, it’s chill. Just pick something cool. Liam’s thumb hovers over a few songs before deciding on Humble by Kendrick Lamar. He sees Zayn smile from the corner of his eye. Ah shit, too cool, too cool, regain your composure. Liam strides over to a pull up bar. He can feel Zayn’s eyes watching him.  
“I think I’ll join you. Since no one’s here.”  
“Oh...kay.”  
Liam’s on pull up number 20 right as Kendrick’s left stroke just went viral.  
Liam doesn’t miss Zayn quickly averting his eyes as he turns around. He also doesn’t miss the fact that his treadmill isn’t moving at all and that he’s white knuckling the handlebar.  
“Are you a trainer here?”  
“... Uh huh.”  
**  
Liam has been getting up every morning at 2 for a week, opening the gym only to see Zayn come and workout. He closes the gym at 12:00 a.m. then “opens” at 2:30. Even though two hours of sleep isn’t enough to keep him awake, or at least functional, he does it to only see a certain mysterious man. The dark haired man comes everyday, always a little but before 3:00. He always shows up in his business suit, then changes into his black shorts. Him and Liam have been getting to know each other a little better each day while Liam trains him. They’ve talked about their hometowns and high school and what kind of music they listen to. Liam knows that Zayn works in an office, but he doesn’t know which one or what he does. Once Zayn leaves at 4:00 a.m., Liam “closes” until the gym actually opens at 6:30 a.m. He then takes a nap in the breakroom, awaiting for either Louis or Niall to wake him from his slumber.  
“Get up sleeping beauty!” Louis’s melodic voice brings Liam back to reality, as well as the excruciating bright light he just turned on. “Don’t think for a minute I’ll be snogging you awake. I’m flattered but I’m also taken by a beauty of my own. You snooze, you lose mate.” Louis blows a kiss as he leaves the breakroom.  
Liam grunts as he sits up. Back hurts, head hurts, drowsy, and exhausted. He cannot keep doing this to himself. All for what? To spend an hour and a half with a guy. A beautiful guy. A probably straight guy. Liam sighs. He doesn’t even know if he’s interested in Liam like that! He probably just wants to be friends. Who’s he kidding, they’re not even friends! He probably just wants a trainer and just talks to Liam to be polite. Liam gets up from the couch and drags himself to the front desk.  
“Louuuueeeeeee.”  
“Hold that thought Lima Bean, Harold has come to get lunch with me.”  
“Does Harry have another day off?”  
“He does. Something about the owner’s daughter’s wedding or somethin, I don’t know. I swear those people are doing something every week.”  
The front door opens and Liam’s honestly not even looking at Harry because Zayn fucking Malik is right behind him. The urge to flee takes over him a second too late because Zayn has already spotted him.  
“Liam?”  
“... Zaynnn! Hey man, how’s it goin?”  
“What are you doing here? I thought you worked the graveyard shift?”  
“Wait, wait, wait, hold up, the guy that you’ve been opening early for is Zayn?? Are you for real? What would possibly possess you to do that for this moody fucker?”  
“Oi! You’re the only one that’s a moody fucker around here Tommo.”  
“Wait..” Liam takes a second to process. “You two know each other? And you know Harry?”  
A slow smile starts to appear on Harry’s face. “Yeahh me and Zaynie work together. So that’s why you’ve been so tired at work lately! Noisy neighbor my ass! The only people that have been having loud sex is you and Liam on the benches amiriiite.” Louis and Harry are the only ones laughing. Liam shifts uncomfortably and Zayn just looks at him and shrugs.  
“Wait if you have as many days off as Harry.. Then why do you come in at like 3 in the morning?”  
Zayn just looks at him and shrugs again. “I thought you only worked at night.”  
“But.. Louis is a trainer. He’s actually a trainer.. And you knew he worked here. During the day. Why didn’t you come then?”  
“Oh my god Liam he likes you you bumbling idiot-” Louis gets cut off by Harry giving him a smooch.  
“Shhhhh… Let them figure it out.”  
Zayn smiles and looks up at Liam through his eyelashes, looking bashful for the first time since walking into this gym.  
“So I take it this gym isn’t open at ass o’clock in the morning?”  
“I mean, it is if you want it to be. I’m the owner.”  
“So you’re Mr. Payne?”  
“The one and only. No pain no gain.”  
“Are they flirting?” Liam looks over and sees that Niall has joined Louis and Harry in their huddle watching them.  
“Would it be completely out of line for me to ask you out?”  
“I mean obviously not.”  
“Shut up, Niall.”  
Zayn laughs and Liam thinks it’s the best thing he’s heard in his entire life.  
“I’d love to. See you at 3?”


End file.
